Hindman Barn stabilization project begins

Dec 08, 2017 by Sarah Mowry
This week the Land Trust began the delicate work of stabilizing the Hindman Barn at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve. Learn more about the project.

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This week the Land Trust began the delicate work of stabilizing the Hindman Barn at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve. This exciting project has been in the works since the Land Trust acquired Camp Polk in 2000! Thanks to a recent grants from the Oregon Community Foundation's Historic Trail Fund, the Roundhouse Foundation and others, we can finally begin to preserve this 146 year old treasure of Central Oregon's history.

The Hindman barn was built in 1871 and was part of Hindman Station, a historic stopping place along the Santiam Wagon Road. The Land Trust's preservation goals:

  • Remove rotten sills and rotten portions of vertical posts.
  • Jack up and stabilize all post bottoms.
  • Re-peg dislocated posts.
  • Make the structure plumb and stabilizing it with knee braces and guy wires.
  • Mark the extent of the original barn footprint.

Crews started this week on stabilizing posts and pouring new footings for the posts. The pictures below show the progress or check out the video at the top of the page.

First, a notch is cut in the post and sill of the barn. We are working to save as much of the post and sill as possible. Photo: Land Trust.
First, a notch is cut in the post and sill of the barn. We are working to save as much of the post and sill as possible. Photo: Land Trust.

 

A metal brace was fabricated to keep the barn from moving. Photo: Land Trust.
A metal brace was fabricated to keep the barn from moving. Photo: Land Trust.

 

The metal brace slides into the notched post. Photo: Land Trust.
The metal brace slides into the notched post. Photo: Land Trust.

 

Finally, a concrete footing is poured at the base around the metal plate. Photo: Land Trust.
Finally, a concrete footing is poured at the base around the metal plate. Photo: Land Trust.

 

Why are we stabilizing the Hindman Barn?

The Hindman barn was built in 1871 and was part of Hindman Station, a historic stopping place along the Santiam Wagon Road. The barn was originally a 75’x50’ post and beam barn with mortise and tenon joints. Active use of the barn ended in the 1960’s.

In 1990 a windstorm severely damaged the failing roof, after which the owners removed the remaining section of roof and all of the siding. In 2000, when the Deschutes Land Trust acquired the land and created Camp Polk Meadow Preserve, the remains of the barn were shored up and supported by cables and rope. However, the barn timbers continued to deteriorate and destabilize.

The Land Trust has worked for many years to determine the best way to preserve the remains of the Hindman Barn. This included consulting with Deschutes County and its Historical Landmarks Commission, the Sisters Historical Society, and a descendant of the Hindman family. Together we decided the best route would be to stabilize the remaining structure so future generations could learn its story.

 

About the Hindman Springs Preservation and Restoration

This barn stabilization is the first phase of a larger effort to preserve and provide interpretation on the historic Hindman Springs portion of Camp Polk Meadow Preserve. We re-built the Hindman Springs Area trail in August of 2017, are now working to preserve the Hindman barn and homesite, and will work to restore native vegetation over the next year.

Many thanks to the Oregon Community Foundation Historic Trails Fund, the Roundhouse Foundation, the Laird Norton Foundation, East Cascade Audubon Society, and private donors for making the Hindman Springs Area Preservation and Restoration possible.
 

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